Why You Should Never Split The Bill on a Date
Should you split the bill on a date?
You’re on a date. And that dreadful moment arrives. The waiter, a struggling art history major by day, a starbucks barista on the weekends, and a food server night, slowly approaches your table with the bill. Do you pay? Do you split? Do you ask the girl across the table how she wants to deal with the check? Will she be offended if you don’t ask? All these questions are going through your mind.
Well this article will answer exactly what you need to do on a date and why you should never split the bill except for a couple of exceptions that we’ll discuss below.
When to never split the bill
First let’s determine when you should never split the bill. If you like the girl, want to see her again, or want to sleep with her - you need to cover the bill. It’s that simple.
Not paying the bill is a weak move. You look broke. “Well, I’m not broke!” you’ll say. Then you look cheap. “But I’m not cheap either!” you’ll yell at the top of your lungs. Well you look like you have no common sense then.
Imagine this. You’re out with a girl. It’s going amazing. She’s laughing at your jokes. She loves your outfit and your personality. Once that bill arrives, you look at her and say “let’s split it?”
All that good will and attraction you built up goes straight down the drain. If you have any desire to see her again, you need to be a man and pay.
Chivalry is important. Masculinity is too. And it’s a very masculine move to grab the bill and pay for it like it’s no big deal.
When you should split the bill
Let’s say the date has been terrible. She’s being combative. She’s asking about your politics and fighting you about it. She’s on her phone telling you she’s making plans for later that night with another guy. And so on.
Clearly, there will not be a second date. Because there won’t be a second date and she’s being a bit of an a*shole all night, then you can say “let’s split the bill?” to her at the end.
But let’s say you can tell there won’t be a second date because the chemistry is simply not there, however she’s being all lady-like about it. You should still pay the bill then. As long as she’s not being rude, as a man living by a code, you ought to cover the bill and wish her a good life. If she’s really insisting and no second date will take place, fine - take her money. But otherwise, cover it and move on.
Splitting the bill with a friend
What if you go out to dinner with a co-worker or a friend that you are attracted to?
If you want to move the relationship from friendly to romantic then you have to pay for the dinner or the drinks. Splitting the bill will only leave you in the friend zone.
Let’s say a friend from your college days sends you a text that she’s in town and you guys should meet. You always had a crush on her, or when you see her again she looks way better than before and you want to pursue this romantically. Take charge and pay. Let her see you in a different light - the manly, boyfriend/husband type that knows how to take care of a woman.
What to do if you’re broke and you absolutely need to split the bill
Let’s say the date is going well, she’s into you, but by golly, you simply don’t have enough money in your checking account and absolutely need this girl to cover half the check. What to do?
My brother in arms, please do not be dating while you’re broke. It’s stressful and embarrassing to go on dates not knowing how the food will pay for itself.
It’s great that you have rizz and can make a girl like you. But if you’re going out, you need to have some level of financial security to cover these bills.
“But I need love too. Is money really everything? What about romance? Surely that doesn’t require dollar signs.”
Money is always important. It’s a part of dating. Even 13 year olds go to movies together and someone has to pay for those tickets. You have to get your money right.
As a man, there’s a few things you have to do:
- Have a good career be it in tech, law, sales, or creating your own wifi money. Having a plan B also helps tremendously. Security is never a bad thing.
- Know how to defend yourself. You should be involving yourself in combat sports. If you can do kickboxing classes and get to a blue belt in jiu jitsu, you’re good to go.
- Know to take care of the house. No one is asking you to know how to clean your gutters, but you need to know who to call to maintain a home. And increasing the level of security in the home is a must.
Ignoring the above and jumping straight into trying to be a playboy with having no money in your pocket won’t end well. Become a man first before going on dates with no money.
To conclude, you should almost always cover the bill on a date unless the girl is being completely repulsive and terrible. For more dating advice, sign up to my dating newsletter.
